Local tabloids said Crowe paid about $US100,000 ($132,000) to
settle the civil lawsuit. He still faces criminal charges of
assault.

The incident took place shortly after 4am (local time) on June 6
when Crowe returned to the trendy SoHo hotel and became irritated
when Estrada was unable to put through a call to Crowe's wife
Danielle Spencer in Australia.

Upset, Crowe pulled the telephone out of the wall, went to the
lobby where he argued with Estrada and threw the phone at him.

The New Yorker magazine reported that Crowe was enraged
because the hotel clerk dismissed his frustration by saying
"whatever" - a dismissive put-down.

Crowe, 41, is due back in court on September 14 for the criminal
charges and faces up to seven years in jail if convicted.